HOPE
by talichernin
Summary: Colin is out of the picture, and the town of everwood must adjust. Ratings might vary. My first time writing, go easy please :)
1. first hours

"When was the last time I've been in a hospital?'' Ephram thought to himself, "must have been years, cuz I can't remember the last time I even came for a visit, but to support my dad? Hell must have frozen over." But he was happy, because for the first time in years, he truly felt proud to be Dr. Brown's son.  
  
The door into the waiting room was opening hardly, banging against the wall like a sack of potatoes, "am I too late??" the sound quivered, "why's everyone so quiet? I am, aren't I? I'm late." Ephram turned around, it was Laynie, and what was she doing there? He jumped up and shot up to where she was standing, "hey. So, school got boring? Figures, they can't even keep people in classes in private schools." Laynie chuckled quietly but then her serious face returned as quickly as it vanished. Well, there goes the comic relief attempt. Might as well get serious, "they're still out. We don't know anything. You DID although miss 7 hours of the most fascinating sport known to man on the TV- CURLING! Although we did stop for a while to watch some paint dry," he said with a smile, followed by a dry laugh. He was no good with seriousness in grim situations. "Oh man, and I just missed by a second??" Laynie played along, maybe not as well as could have. It was obvious she was torn and tired. "So how did you get here? Hitch rides with hillbillies named Billy-Bob?" Ephram was truly bad at the emotional support thing, as he'd proven many times before. "No, a friend was on here way through town, I bummed a ride with her.. Thanks, Ephram." She was as comfortable as he was. "For what?" "For not making this hard, for not making me talk about Colin." "Well, I.I-I figured you got enough of that from everyone else." "yeah. So! What's the score?" "Huh?" "The curling, you mentioned some fascinating moves."  
  
Dr. Brown felt like he spent the last 9 hours in a train wreck, and they couldn't get him out of his seat. Every muscle in his body ached, making every move like carrying the whole world on his back. Every move was calculated and precise, if he'd made an extra move, he'd collapse.  
  
Finally he'd reached his goal- the waiting room..  
  
He collapsed on one of the couches and tried to catch his breath, his eyelids felt 20 times heaver then his longest night working back in New York, but he was out of practice.  
  
He could feel every eye in the room digging into his skin for information, begging for him to reveal the results of the long, difficult, and some say- unnecessary operation. Finally, he managed to open his mouth, and let the words come out, "There were some unexpected complications during the operation-" He could hear everyone gasping, almost accusing, "-but he came through and will be able to leave the hospital by the end of the week. Hopefully this will be the last time there's trouble, we are very optimistic." He couldn't help but smile, if he had the power he'd be laughing and celebrating with the rest of them, now on their feet laughing, hugging, crying, babbling, and then he felt a hand on his shoulder, it was Ephram, he sat down next to his dad, and simply said " I love you dad." And gave him the biggest smile he could muster at this hour. 


	2. Laynie and Ephram's night at the hospita...

The Abbots finally got Amy to leave the hospital with them. The harts were staying around, probably for as long as it takes for Colin to wake up again, and unfortunately for Ephram, so were the browns, though he should have known that Colin's doctor wasn't about to leave him hanging there and get a good night sleep. Not when that doctor's name was Andrew Brown anyway.  
  
Laynie was in Colin's room when Dr. Brown came in. "I think it's time we talk about the complications of the surgery, "he said, "there were minor injuries to some areas of the brain responsible for logic, and control, only for a while, though. He-" he was cut off by Mrs. Hart, Hurt his logic? What does that mean? That he won't be able to know a bad situation, or solve equations?" after a short silence, that seemed to go on forever doctor brown said, "both." Mr and Mrs. Hart began crying, and Laynie just couldn't take it anymore. She stormed out of the room as loudly as she could, but except for dr. brown no one even looked up. And she didn't even needed to turn around to know it. She shot through the halls through the waiting room, not even looking around, and inevitably crashed into Ephram, who was just coming back with munchies that were now spreading all over the floor. "Oh, god! I'm such a klutz. Sorry." She bent down to pick them up, as well as he did. He looked at her face and saw that it was practically red, her eyes were wet. He just kept thinking, "That's Laynie. Stronger then a bull, funner then a Roller coaster! And she's crying. What would make the great Laynie shed tears? And then it hit him, "is Colin going to be ok?" She was silent. She sighed and said, "apparently he lost his logic, but it's only temporary, he'll be fine." "Then why are you crying?" "Who said I was crying?!! I certainly didn't? Do I look like I'm crying??" She looked directly at him, with fierce eyes and a trembling mouth. "I gotta go." She whispered as she quickly got up and sprinted out of the waiting room. This was not how he thought this would happen, but he knew that if he pressured her, he wasn't going to get answers; he was just going to have to wait for her to come to him.  
  
2 hours later, she came back. "Hi." she was even quieter then she was when she left. "Sorry about before. I reacted badly. I shouldn't have yelled at you." He looked at her, how did he not notice it before? She was hurting. She was covering it up, just like he was. He had his temper tantrums, and his dad to take it out on, but she was away at boarding school, sent there when her parents finally gave up dealing with her. She was just like him. That's why she needed a friend right now just as badly as he did. "So why were you upset before?" "Just.. Everything. hey, I saw you had clue earlier, care for a game?" he looked at her with the most understanding eyes she'd ever seem, and said, "blue, or red?" which somehow, at that moment, meant the world. Hell, maybe she'll even have a friend if things keep gong the way they were. But that meant telling that friend stuff she really didn't want him to know.  
  
Morning came, and unfortunately, so did sunlight. Amy was already at the hospital, looking at 2 very tried people. Ephram and Laynie were asleep, drooling all over the clue people, half up some under chins and such. She wished she had a camera. "Hey guys, rise and shine!" they both flinched and groaned, what made it funny was that they were doing it almost simultaneously, like they'd planned it the night before. Finally, after the long arduous process, called getting your head off the table, they were semi-awake. But suddenly, as soon as they saw her, both faces went blank. Transparent even, with the guiltiest eyes she'd ever seen, "what's wrong?" Ephram looked at Laynie, but she was telling him with her eyes that she wasn't the one to start talking. "He looked back at Amy, "Colin's not going to be very well for a while, my dad said his logic was sorta screwed in the surgery and it'll take a while to recover. And remember the temper tantrums? We'll be enjoying those for a while, too." Amy just sat there, and took everything in. She honestly didn't know if she could survive another time of physical therapy, and all the pain that came with Colin's recovery. 


	3. Good Morning, EVERYONE!

"Hey." he said weakly, "Laynie just looked at him for a second, not believing. "Hey. what's up?" she asked awkwardly. The doctors said she shouldn't get too close, nor say much; she could really just. be there. She wanted more then anything to just jump to the bed and hold him forever, but she knew the rules, anything could trigger another attack, plus they didn't know exactly how everything went yet. There was just the primal assumption, they weren't even sure he'd survive. In fact now that she's had more time to think about it, she wondered why Ephram even bothered telling Amy. Maybe he was hoping that he'd have just a bit more time. but that topic's been worked over too much in her head, she needed to let it go, and fast. "Oh, nothing much, Laynie," she smiled, he remembers! "I was just working on the biggest project I've had in days." She was bewildered, "oh really? What is it?" "Watching the paint dry. Been doing it for about an hour now." She laughed, sarcasm, already! She could barely hold her excitement, but she was able to quiet it down, 'later!' she kept telling herself, 'later'.  
  
The nurse came in, "there's another visitor, a miss.. Amy Abbott." She looked at Laynie, "only one visitor at a time," Laynie looked at her brother, still unable to even speak his name, looking for approval, and as if by command, he nodded, and smiled. It was all she needed; she knew things were going to be find now. Amy came in, looking like she hadn't used the bathroom in hours and really had to go. "HI!" she exploded, "I've got MORE presents!!!!! I got you a souvenir from that ski lodge we went to on the church trip, a memory of our second first kiss!" she laughed, "it was so weird. but good weird." She seemed to notice the nurse now, staring at her with a very disapproving look, but he was able to interrupt before any obsanities came out of the nurse's mouth, "second first kiss? How is that possible, Grover?" she giggled, "you haven't called me that in a while." What do you mean? I just called you Grover a few hours ago before you went off to present the forth of July with your dad. I'm sorry I ditched ya, Amy. But those guys dared us! I had to go! Seems I've been in a slight accident- how long was I out? How's my hair?" and while Amy was still in shock, he brushed his hands over his hair to notice that it wasn't there. "WHAT THE. WHATHAPPENED? WHERE'S MY HAIR??"  
  
Laynie was then back in the room, "You had a seizure, they had to operate, and they had to cut your hair again.. It'll grow back!" he looked at his sister, "again? What do you mean. again.." Laynie looked at the nurse, who seemed to have morphed from a drill instructor and a clerk, first day on the job, and was completely at a loss for words.  
  
Laynie ran out and saw Dr. Brown, "Dr. Brown! He can't remember anything from after the accident! But he remembers everything from before!" she was very confused. "Dr. Brown looked at her and said, "really? That's odd, I suppose it's a side affect we didn't see, we'll have to examine him. She took a deep breath and left the building, it was too depressing now.  
  
As soon as she left the building she made a sharp turn to the some pancakes, it was the only thing on her mind.. BOOM! She crashed into something metallic and fell flat on the sidewalk. When she looked up she saw a guy, around her age, struggling to get back up on a wheelchair, A wheelchair because she wasn't sure he was really crippled, she knew a lot of people who used that excuse to pick people up, or rob them. She got up and watched him struggle for a minute, "A little help here!" He seemed quiet agitated, she was probably wrong, she made sure her wallet was still on, and advanced, "sorry, you never know, you know?" he looked at her for a few seconds and said, "yeah, I know.. I'm Ed, Ed Fargo." "Laynie Hart. Hi."  
  
Dr. Brown went into his patient's room, to give him some news, "MY name is Dr. Brown, your doctor. You've been in an accident in your car, and have been in a coma for 5 months. A month ago I operated on you and you awoke, without any memory of whom you are, where you're from, you were starting from scratch. Then about a week ago you had a seizure and we came to the fact that in order for you to survive you had to go through another operation, one I completed last night. You are healthy and I don't predict any health complications, but you seem to have lost all memory of that one month you were awake after your coma, and unfortunately, at this time, I honestly don't know if you'll get it back.." The patient was silent. "Colin?" 


	4. New Memories

Colin looked up at Dr. Brown, "Accident? I don't understand. seizure? But I athlete, completely healthy. wait. I told bright- drive. we were drunk.. big boom. then nothing. coma? That's why everyone here. I'm confused Doc. Where everyone?" Dr. Brown wrote some notes in his notepad and returned his attention to his patient, "We asked them to leave the room so the 2 of us can talk." "Oh." "Yes, well they'll be here later today, I promise" "Great" "Yeah, but for now I'll need your help. We need to know just how much damage there was in the surgery, if any, and how much you remember about your life. Is that all right?" "I guess so."  
  
"Listen, can I buy you lunch?" Laynie asked Ed, "I feel responsible, and I wasn't paying attention. Rough day... you mind? I won't take no for an answer!" "I suppose there's no harm, there's gotta be some advantages to being in this chair, pretty girls buy you lunch!" "Huh? What, you think that the only reason I'm buying you lunch is cuz of that ugly ass chair you sit in? K, now I DON'T want to buy you lunch, thanks, you just saved me some money!" she said, with all the sarcasm she could muster, she hadn't even thought of the chair till he mentioned it! She started walking away when he called, "no wait! Hold on! It's not easy catching up to people with this thing!" she slowed down, but didn't stop, or turn around. In a minute he caught up and said, "all right, now I feel guilty! I guess I'll be the one buying lunch after all." He said with a smirk. "Why should I go with YOU?? You obviously resort to blaming your wheelchair on anything good, or bad! You are several levels of pathetic!" "You're right.-Could you stop! My arms are working overtime as it is!" She stopped. "Thank you. You're right. It IS pathetic, but sometimes you feel the need to have something to disconnect you from the world. eh, a girl like you wouldn't understand that-" "WHAT? Again you go with that crap! You REALLY owe me a lunch now!" "-What, so you still want to eat lunch with me?" "I'm hungry, and I know a great place where they give you a mile high stack of pancakes! They're the best." "Lead the way." smiling as she begins leading him to a "restaurant" across the street.  
  
Ephram was sitting in the 'vending room' when Amy approached him. "hi." She said quietly, he looked up and smiled, "hi, how's Colin?" "He'll be ok. After a while." "great. And you?" "What?" "How are YOU handling this? It must be hard." She sat down next to him. "it is. But the reward is worth it. I think." "What? You're having doubts? After all you've been through? What is it with girls that love Colin?? They struggle through the hardest times, and when the worst part's over- you bail!" "Girls??" "Laynie?" "Right." "You can't give up! You don't find love like that very often, and if that love is returned.." He swallowed the next words and looked away. The last thing she needed was more problems. Amy cleared her throat and said, "I better check on him now." "Yeah, good idea. Let me know, k?" "Sure." That moment Dr. Brown came in with news, "Colin will be fine, in fact he's doing very well and the process of rehabilitating him will be much faster since he's been through it all already. He'll be ready to come home in a few days, of course it all depends on how fast he heals." Ephram saw Amy was crying, a single tear ran down her cheek as she took in the news, whispering, "Colin'll be fine. Colin'll be fine. Colin'll be fine. Colin'll be fine." Ephram took a deep breath and approached Amy, he put his hand on her shoulder and helped her sit down, it was all he could do not to hug her with all his might and make the pain go away- for both of them. 


	5. LEAVE!

"Alright! Now you will be able t enjoy to highest stack of pancakes known to man! If that doesn't make us feel better, I don't know what will!" Laynie decided to forgive Ed for his idiocy earlier and make a fresh start, she took a bite out of the pancake and turned to Ed, "so how you like them pancakes?!" Ed turned to her with a full mouth and said, "hees ah hehy hood!" translation- these are very good! She assumed, "I can see!" she started laughing; she hasn't felt relaxed in days! They started talking, she told him about her life. In Boston. And about her brother's broken leg. 'Why did I have to lie? This makes it harder now! Well, I'll most likely never se him again. so why not?' Laynie thought to herself. He told her about his parents, the pain of moving away so he'll have a fresh start, the car accident that made him cripple, they shared everything but ways to contact each other outside coincidence.  
  
Dr. brown was tired of everyone in the family hovering over him like he was still in med school, trying to impress his teachers. He gathered everyone after lunch and said, "Colin will be fine. But having you here makes things more complicated and it makes my job harder to do. So I'm going to have to ask you to leave. You may still return during visiting hours, but you're all putting a lot of pressure on the staff and it's already very stressful as it is. This is only for the best. I'll be expecting you all to leave by the end of the day. I will call if there are any changes." The reaction was as he expected- a lot of protesting followed by realizing that it was for the best.  
  
By the end of the day everyone was gone. The Abbotts were most reluctant to leave; well, Amy. Amy had put on quite the fight about staying, but Ephram had managed to convince her that it was for the best better then Dr. brown.  
  
On the way out, Laynie said good-bye to her parents, ".. so.. I guess this is good-bye. better get back to the hellhole that is boarding school." "Well, if you still want to, we'd love to take you back home," Sharon said, "I'm so sorry, dear. We haven't been much of anything to you these last few months, but we'd love the opportunity to make up for it, if you're still willing to let us." Laynie couldn't put her feelings into words; instead she just dropped her bags and hugged her mom with all her strength. 'Everything as going to be ok now, I know it!'  
  
The ride home felt like forever, for everyone. Laynie was excited about being home, but she knew her parents wouldn't waste a day getting back into school. Amy was still upset about being kicked out of the hospital. AGAIN. Ephram, who was riding with Amy to help her feel better (that, and he didn't want to take the bus) was still holding her, thinking, surprisingly enough, about his dad, left at the hospital to take care of Colin. He wondered how ole' daddy felt about that, how he was dealing. But decided to put that at the back of his head and concentrate on Amy. She needed him once again. As a friend. ONLY as a friend. Well then he'll be the best friend Amy could have! Yeah.  
  
The morning after Ephram got a call. It was from Andy, making sure he got home ok and that Delia was fine, "yeah dad. Everything's cool. Don't worry about it." He hung up, "damn it! Delia! Crap!" he ran next door, "hi Nina, is Delia here?" "Yeah, she's eating breakfast," Nina said with a big grin, like she knew exactly how he felt and was enjoying it. "Thanks. Hey Delia! Come on! Let's go! Thank you for watching her. I was so tired when I got home that I completely forgot." Nina seemed understanding, "its ok Ephram, even the best of us make mistakes, that's what makes us human." She gave him a motherly smile that made him very uncomfortable by how comforted it made him. "Thanks." When he and Delia came home he made Delia a sandwich and sent her to school, then took off by himself, what was he going to do? 


	6. Sorry

Laynie was walking into her first period class more excited then most times in her life. That is, until she saw the most confusing thing she'd ever felt, "Laynie! Back from Boston, eh?" "Ed. oh shit. hi!" she had no idea what to say, 'sorry I lied to you! Hey, all that stuff bout me and Boston- lies, and my brother? 5 month coma, actually. But all she could pull off was a, "I'm sorry. I just don't deal out stuff like that." still feeling completely embarrassed, "sooo. you live here?" "Yup, just moved a few days ago. Haven' seen you around though." "Yeah, I was at the hospital and before that I was a private school. That part was true." "Huh. So. what's up?" This confused her in many ways- did he not just catch her in her lie? Didn't he care? "Wait, so you don't care that I lied to you?" "I'll forget it if you never mention how we met, too embarrassing." "Sure." "You wanna sit down here?" "Sure." Still confused, but less. "Sure." "Great. So why were you in the hospital?" "My brother." "But I thought you said you. bent the truth about that." "I did, but not in the way you'd think. do you read the New-York times?" "Should I?" "Well do you know about that famous surgeon, the 'greatest thing to happen to medical science in years'? Dr. Andrew Brown? About how he left New-York and moved to some small town?" "I heard something like that. Why?" "Well, on the 4th of July, last year, my brother went on a joy ride. That cost him 5 months of his life. He was in a coma. Dr. Brown saved him. But he got sick again and they had to operate again. He'll be fine now. The second operation was why I was at the hospital. I spent 2-3 days there, but then we all got kicked out." "We all?" "Yeah, me, my parents, the doctor's son, his girlfriend, and her family." "Wow. That's a lot of people. I wish that many people still cared about me 5 months after my accident." "Yeah. Don't worry. You'll make many enemies that care about you right here!" "Why do you say that?" "Well I might not care about that wheelchair, but we live in a very. old-in- their-ways town. They'll either bug you, or ignore you and hope you go away." "Good." They laugh.  
  
Ephram walks into first period class to see Amy sitting by the window. "Hey." There was no reply. Suddenly all Ephram could think of was that night when she was performing ballet and totally zoned out, he panicked. "Amy? Amy!" he started shaking her, "what are you doing, Ephram?" She turned around, as normal as can be, "uh. n o t h i n g..." he wanted to bury his head in the ground. "You were worried I flipped again, weren't you?" "Yeah. sorry." She smiled. "Sorry about what? Caring about me? -" Suddenly she was frozen again. "What's wrong?" "Nothing." "Then why did you just freeze again?" "I've got a lot on my-" "Good morning class! I see some old faces back, welcome Amy." Ephram gritted his teeth and sat down. But whispered, "I want to talk to you after class-" "Sooo, Ephram! Back in class for less then 3 minutes and already getting detentions?" "But I- oh." "Oh is right." "But sir," Amy started, "He didn't do anything." "I suppose that's true. He HAS been a bad influence on you. Tell you what! Since you were so quick to defend your boyfriend-" "He's not my boyfriend!" "Either way, you'll be spending detention together." "What?!" "End of discussion, this has already taken up too much of the class's time! I'll see you in detention!" 


	7. moving on

Amy and Ephram were both completely shocked by Mr. Green attack on the 2, especially after what they've been through. But then again, Mr. Green was never too nice to anyone. Especially Ephram.  
  
"Laynie! Hey wait up this chair isn't all too fast in a crowded hallway, you know!" Ed shouted over the crowd. Laynie turned around and saw Ed catching up, "Ed, hey. What's up?" "Well, I have no one to eat lunch with and I forgot my book at home, you mind if I bug you at lunch?" "No problem, I forgot my book too." she smiled. They walked in the direction of the lunchroom when Laynie noticed, "where are we going?" "The lunchroom?" "No. We're going outside." "Why?" "Because I hate most of the people in that lunch room and the ones I don't.. well. we need some time." Ed just looked at her, knowing not to ask questions. "Outside it is."  
  
Ephram walked into the lunchroom and saw Amy sitting, alone, in one of the corners. "Hey Amy." "Hi." "Something you wanna tell me?" "No." "You sure? Cuz you know I'll listen." "Yeah, I know. I just don't know what I'm supposed to tell you." "What do you mean?" "I mean. Colin isn't coming back." "What?" he was highly confused. "The doctors say it's not healthy for him to be in Everwood. Until he's completely recovered, 100% Colin again, with no side effects of anything, they can't let him comeback.... He called. Said he didn't want me to wait for him. Said I've wasted enough sitting by that hospital bed. Especially since I had nothing to wait for." "Wa.. What?" "He said he was planning on... on ending. on ending the.. Ending. It. Done. No more. 'You just need to more on Amy. You can't tell me you didn't feel that your love was a one-way street? I liked you, but you thought I was the love of your life, I'm not.'" That's when Amy began crying. "One way street." Ephram just looked at Amy, so helpless. He had no idea what to do. He sat down, "Amy. I'm sorry. But. maybe he's right?" "Maybe. Everyone's been telling me that for months. I just thought that if he were back everything would be all right again. I guess having him say it sorta brought it home. Ephram what if I've wasted the last 5 months of my life obsessing over a guy who wanted to break-up with me?" "I don't know. I don't. But I can help you more on. If that's what you want." "He said I never loved him anyways. That it was like. a practice love for when the real thing comes along. And it has." By now Ephram was slowly going crazy, what was she saying? Was he reading her all wrong? "He said that and for the first time I noticed he was right. He was. But I'm not sure if I can move on." This was it. Enough. Ephram lifted Amy head so that she's facing him, only an inch of 2 from his face. "Listen to me, you loved Colin. But things change. Maybe, maybe you like someone else now, and that's ok. You don't always stay with the first person you love. I know it hurts but you need to move on." Amy just looked at him for a couple of seconds, then showed faint signs of a weak smile. "I know." And kissed him. 


	8. Fight!

A/N- for once I'm giving an author's note. To apologize!!!! For those of you reading out there, I've been totally flaking last couple of months, therefore this time you get an extra long chapter. And a new one by the end of the weekend, or you can have my head on a stick! Well, not on a stick, but you know! :D  
  
Disclaimer! I've been reading up and turns out I should probably give one, eh? So here it is!!! I do NOT own Everwood, not the characters! Furthermore, I do not own Ed. He is a character from my favorite book, called fearless by Francine Pascal. READ IT! Warning- it's 32 books at last count.  
  
Read, enjoy, and REVIEW!!!!  
  
Bright was walking with some of his friends in the lunchroom, joking around when he stopped dead in his tracks, making 3 of the guys near him to go toppling off the sides at the abruptness of his sudden halt. He was staring, but they couldn't see what trapped his attention so completely. 'What am I looking at?' he asked himself. It couldn't be his baby sister, and BROWN! No way! Right? And so, bright took the only measure of dealing with this new revelation he could think of- ran over to the table where they seemed to be kissing, and rip that little scum off his sister. "What the hell do you think you are doing Brown???? Have you blown a fuse or something?" Ephram, obviously still delirious from his, moment, with Amy, took a second to take in the current situation. "Bright!" "Yeah! What the hell were you doing tongue wrestling my sister???" "I.I."  
  
At that moment, Amy came to and was instantly on the defensive. "Bright! Let him go!! What do you think you're doing???" she was yelling offside, hoping she wouldn't have to come between Ephram and her brother. "He was all over you! Why didn't you slap him yourself??" Amy became silent, as Bright understood that what was going on here was hardly involuntary. "You?? And HIM?" he said, utterly confused, and slightly grossed out. He couldn't help but think- one of the most popular girls in school, and the dark wiener from New York, Ham as she called him. Why would she like a guy she calls Ham?! At that thought, he dropped Ephram to the ground and suddenly realized they were not alone. In fact, the entire lunchroom was now looking at the scene, and a couple of teachers were making their way looking quite mad. "Mr. Abbott, Mr. Brown, the principal's office. NOW!" said one of them, which Bright recognized as Mr. Maloney, his science teacher. This was bad.  
  
The teachers were now walking away, Bright was the first to follow, but Ephram lingered just long enough to give Amy an apologetic face, and then followed bright to the office, to get his punishment for kissing the girl he loved.  
  
When Ephram reached the principal's office, Bright has already situated himself in one of the chairs. Ephram sat on the one next to him. "So. Are you. Are you like, banging my sister?" Bright seemed to ask out of the blue, "What? NO! I'm... I don't know." Ephram responded, appearing as a little boy at a candy store, without any money. "Wow, aren't you the poster boy for pathetic and stupid!" "Gee thanks Bright!" Ephram has pushed his defenses up, "it's all your fault we're here, you know!" he added angrily. "MY fault? If you weren't all over my sister I wouldn't have gone nuts!" "It's not your business, who I. am with, or not. You had no right!" "Still, guy! That's my sister! And you guys were making it in the middle of the caf! What did you expect?" "I don't. I can't. I just. I didn't mean for it to happen! We were just talking, and she. I don't even know what it meant. Thanks to you!"  
  
Just as Bright was about to respond when the principal came out of his office, "well, well, well. What have we got here? You boys sure do like a good fight, don't you? Come on in.." Said he, while stepping aside and motioning to the door.  
  
The two teenagers went inside, and once again were seated side by side. "So, anybody wants to tell me why my school was once again in havoc because of you two?" Bright immediately looked at Ephram. With one sentence, Ephram could have bright off the team, and in eternal detention. Bright has been going off a bit too much lately, and the principal has noticed. This was the last straw. He could see it in the man's face. Ephram didn't look at Bright. He just sank in his chair, and said nothing. "Unless one of you starts talking, you'll both spend the next 2 weeks in detention after school where you'll be able to settle your differences!" Both boys stayed silent. "Fine. I'll see you two in room 117 after school."  
  
Ephram and Bright left the office. Ephram saw Amy standing behind the glass, but before he could approach her, Bright stopped him. "You didn't squeal. Why?" He asked. "Because I understand. Just don't do it again." Ephram replied. Surprised at the words coming out of his mouth.  
  
Ephram continued walking until he was face to face with Amy. "Hey." He said, as if he's spent the last 15 minutes by the mirror practicing, instead of being given 2 weeks worth of detention. "Hi." She replied meekly. "Got 2 weeks detention with your brother." She didn't seem happy. "Ephram, I'm so sorry. I'll talk to Bright right now and set the record straight, that." "That what?" "That we are." "Are what? Because I'd like to know." "I don't know." "Thought so." At that moment, Ephram's heart broke, like it has a million times during their friendship. His face showed the pain, and anguish, and the tiredness. He didn't want to do this anymore. He couldn't. He feared that if his heart took another hit, it'd never heal; it's barely put together with some scotch tape right now. He was done, so he said so, "Amy, I can't do this anymore. I'm sorry." And walked away, hoping for a miracle, though he didn't know if he wanted to forget about Amy, or to have Amy want him. He actually didn't. 


	9. FINALLY

A/N- see?? I got in fast enough! Enjoy and REVIEW!  
  
Laynie and Ed were strolling the school campus in search of a decent place to sit and eat their lunch. "Here looks fine." She pointed at a nearby tree, circled by grass. There weren't many students on this side of the school, which is why she loved it so much. Ed just shrugged and rolled his wheelchair to the spot she pointed at, "doesn't really matter to me as long as it's surfaced, you know." He said that without the slightest sound of sadness or bitterness in his voice.  
  
She sat down at a safe distance, still feeling a bit awkward about the situation. Ed noticed this; "you don't have to eat lunch with me you know. You can just go with your friends. I'll be fine." He said, with as much conviction as he could muster. Unfortunately, that wasn't much. "I'm fine, thanks." She answered and took a bite out of her sandwich. Ed felt a bit more comfortable at that, so he took a bit out of his, and prepared for a quiet lunch with a new friend.  
  
The final bell rang, and most kids sped to their lockers before calling it a day and heading home, or out. Where ever they would go after school. Most. Two boys were hardly feeling the joy of another school day survived. They walked slowly towards room 177, maybe hoping to walk so slowly as to miss the whole thing, or maybe just to arrive fashionably late. But it was probably the first one.  
  
Bright and Ephram slowly walked into the crowded classroom, Ephram actually looked like he fit in, somewhat anyway. But Bright, he was like. An athlete in a detention room with the school's most wanted. They sat down side by side, if merely for protection from flying objects that might go their way, and waited for a teacher to show up and shut everyone up. The first thing Ephram did was put on his earphones and put the volume to maximum. Bright took out a playbook the coach gave him and started reading. The hour they were to spend in detention felt more like a year, and long year without teachers. The teacher didn't show up, must have been too scared. The other students didn't even notice the two new members, they'll probably notice them tomorrow, or the day after, but they will notice them eventually.  
  
They exited the school separately, and in different directions, though in truth, Ephram wanted more then anything to be in the Abbott household. He kept telling himself, 'it wasn't meant to be. Get over you moron! She's not like that and won't be." And kept walking as quickly as he could back home before he could change his mind.  
  
When Ephram got home, the home was empty. "Mm. That's odd." He said to himself, "wonder where everyone is." He put his jacket in the kitchen on the way to the staircase, but stopped when he reached the corridor. "Amy? What are you doing here?" He was incredibly confused. "I need to talk to you." "Yeah. I figured. What about?" His attempt to remain indifferent was already wearing thin. "About us. I got the feeling you weren't very clear about my feelings towards you earlier," she chuckled faintly, "and I wanted you to know." She appeared exceedingly tense at that point. "Will you sit down?" she motioned to a seat next to her as she was sitting down herself. Ephram slowly moved to the couch where she was sitting in, and rest near her. This of course was while fighting the enormous and ever so growing urge to lean over and kiss her, but seemed to be hiding it sufficiently, at least until she has explained herself.  
  
"Ephram." she began, "You have been my friend for longer then anyone else ever has, if you can believe that. When you came I was broken, I had lost my very soul. You showed me that life was worth living; you gave me a fresh pair of eyes to look at the world through. Sometimes I would feel like crap all day and then you'd come and say something so simple, like. Wanna go to that lame-o park carnival and make fun of the guy over the water tank?" she smiled at the memory, shook it off and continued, "it'd make my day." She paused for a second, to evaluate just how she was going to continue. "I used to think I needed you to help me with Colin. Not just with your dad, but help me feel better about my situation, sorta. Then I realized I just needed you. You, Ephram. You make my life worth living. You make me smile when I wake up in the morning thinking about you. And then feel awful. For all the many ways in which I have made your life harder over the last few months. I'm so sorry, Ephram. I guess the saying is true, you hurt those you love most." Ephram, who has been avoiding Amy glare in a trivial attempt to keep on a poker face, was now in complete and utter shock as his gaze met hers. "You. You." He was trying to comprehend that last sentence. Within seconds he gave up. "I love you too." He said meekly, as if defeated in battle, and lowered his head. Amy lifted his chin; tears were now streaming through her eyes like a waterfall, "Good," was all she could get herself to say before taking him into a passionate, fiery kiss. They both finally got what they were both looking for; love, warmth, and the safety of the other's arms. 


	10. the age of prosparity

A/N- sorry guys, but this is a last chapter for a couple of weeks. School, you know. Unless I get more reviews! Longest one so far!! Enjoy!  
  
It was about six in the evening, and the sun was just setting, leaving the sky in shades of blue, pink, red, and purple. Laynie has been walking for only a couple of minutes, but the cool fall weather was too much for her thin coat. Finally, she reached a small brick house, only one floor, with large windows going into the living room. She knocked on the door, a bit confused on what she was doing there to begin with.  
  
When she and Ed had lunch that day, though for the first half of it, it was quiet between the two, they have made a connection. And she hasn't connected with anyone in a long time, and she needed a friend. She had Amy, but Amy had her own trouble, and with Laynie's history, she was afraid she'd only worsen Amy's situation. What she needed was to count on someone else, if only for as long as they'd have her, she needed someone to trust. Maybe Ed was that person, but she knew she'd never know, unless she took him up on his offer to show him around town, and then maybe watch a DVD at his house.  
  
Ed opened the door, he was practically glowing, "Hey, you! Did you have trouble finding the place?" he said with just the friendly voice she needed to hear. "Nope. It was easy, just cold, so I figured we'd go to places that have heating systems!" she exclaimed. "Sure, though I could go out in a coat, ad half nude, and I'd be fine!" he was obviously trying to make a joke. She did not find it funny, but decided to disregard it, "Well then put your coat on and let's go!" He did, and followed her, slowly rolling just a few inches to her left. "So where are we going?" he inquired. "Well, since I haven't have anything since lunch, I was thinking of going to the pizza place just 10 minutes from here. I've been haunted by hunger, so I haven't really thought of anything past that." She was now deep in thought, 'where will I take him after?' Her thoughts were immediately interrupted, "my, my. If I wouldn't have known better, I'd say we were on a date- dinner and a movie!" why must he joke like that? She asked herself. "And why not?" she looked at him with the most mischievous smile she could muster. Ed simply started at her, suddenly very self conscious about his choice of clothing- baggy levis, and one of those novelty Hawaiian shirts he liked so much, simply because they were so ridicules. "We. we are?"  
  
Ephram was walking down the hallway, practically glowing, still unable to forget last night. It had been magical. Amy and he were now closer then ever, something he had wanted for a very long time. But he was afraid he'd never again be able to think of anything but her beauty, both inner and outer. Which wasn't as bad as some would think. He spotted her, gliding through the corridor to his left and stopped dead in his tracks. She was beautiful. "Hello there, handsome." She whispered as she leaned in for a long kiss. "Hi." He managed to squeak out after a few seconds. She took his hand and they walked down the hall, hoping they'd never reach their classrooms.  
  
She couldn't believe it. She was on a date, a real one. Where the guy was making jokes, and gets nervous once in a while and accidentally just stares her. Last night was probably her first real date, other then Ephram, but it didn't count of the guy only WANTED to like her, right? So it was a first date. Ed and her went back to his house, and she wasn't expected to do anything but watch the movie. That felt really good. No reputation to live up to, no drunken collage guys trying to get some like most of her previous outings, and most of all- she really liked Ed. The wheelchair really didn't bother her. Thanks to it, Ed has developed an excellent upper body, which she admired more and more throughout the evening.  
  
At the end of the evening, she bent down and kissed him goodnight, and as she walked inside her home, she could feel a change in her luck. She was no longer in anyone's shadow; she was a person, with a really hot guy who likes her. She just hoped things would stay this way forever, everyone seemed happy!  
  
The next morning she spotted Ed at his locker, getting his first period books, and as he looked up to see her, she could see, even though they were a good distance apart, the joy in his face.  
  
The detention room was as loud as always. People were filing in, and soon the room was once again jam-packed with young offenders waiting to serve out their sentence. When Ephram reached the room, tightly holding on to Amy, in fear of not surviving today. She looked up at his big gray eyes and said, "Don't worry, Bright's in there too." He smiled, but this was hardly a comforting notion.  
  
As Ephram entered the room, he saw bright already sitting down with his sports magazine, looking just a tiny bit less intimidated then he did yesterday. But Ephram realized he felt invincible, and thought he should share the strength with his love's only brother. "Hey." He said as he sat down in a seat next to him. Bright looked at, with a relieved look on his face, which only lasted a second or two, but left it's mark on Ephram. "Hey..." Ephram gave Bright the most reassuring smile he was able to put forth, and directed his attention to a comic he had brought with him.  
  
"Well lookey here! We have some new blood!" their hopes of going this week without being noticed was now shattered to pieces. "What did you do to get in here, pretty boy?" he was obviously talking to Bright, as Ephram did seem to fit in a bit more. Bright, who was never really good with the insults, and always preferred to just punch the guy and laugh it off with his friends when challenged. Luckily just as he was about to win himself another 3 weeks of detention, Ephram stepped in, feeling braver then usual, "Hey guys, how about you lay off the guy." Standing up, he was just slightly shorter then the guy who, in his mind, he fondly called him- Jack Sparrow, for the amount of make up on his face. "Oh, I'm sorry, was I bothering your girlfriend?" said Jack. "No. You are bothering one of the strongest players on the football team. I was just trying to spare you a couple of trips to my dad, or in some cases, his dad." And pointed at Bright. "But if you want to keep bugging him, it's your funeral." At that, he sat down expectantly, crossing his arms at his chest and putting an evil smile on his face. "Well, go on! What are you waiting for?" he challenged Jack. Bright, who was finally starting to catch on, got up, to reveal that he was in fact at least a half a head taller then Jack, and stood as close to the boy as humanly possible, making poor Jack very uncomfortable. "Whatever." He managed to say, before he backed away and took his seat. He was quiet for the rest of the week.  
  
Detention was a perfect representation of how the next 3 months went by; the people of Everwood were happy. Colin was slowly forgotten, and new relationships developed. Ed and Laynie became a very serious couple, as did Ephram and Amy. And because of the detention, Bright has seen Ephram in a new light, and was now a friend, though taking hits from friends for being associated with Ephram. All he would say is, "Never refuse any advance of friendship, for if nine out of ten bring you nothing, one alone may repay you." By Madame de Tencin. Something he picked up somewhere.  
  
But as all good things must end, so must this age of prosperity and joy, for all know that joy, in the long run, is complicated, and so is winter vacation. 


End file.
